Abstract

This study looks at gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division. Domestic violence is a crime that may result in injury or even death for the victim, but oftentimes the victim is unwilling to report these incidents to law enforcement branches.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of women with domestic violence in selected towns in Fako to better understand what impact these meanings may or may not have on their futures and the future of their families.

This study used phenomenology to bring out descriptions from a sample of women victims. Specifically, the goal of this methodology was to examine how women conceptualize their experience of domestic violence. Participants were recruited from two towns in Fako and were 6 in number.

This decision was influenced by Cresswell (2013)in keeping with phenomenology’s requirements to have a small and fairly homogenous sample to make assertions regarding the phenomenon of interest. The method of data collection was through in-depth open-ended interviews.

It was discovered that women experience varied forms of domestic violence and several factors inhibit them from disclosing the incidents including religion and self-blame and guilt. Challenges to the study were ascribed to the restriction of time and resources, insufficient national data on the subject matter, as well as skeptical attitudes on the interviewees among other things.

The study concluded that although, the historical acceptance of domestic violence cannot be altered, changing societal attitudes regarding domestic violence and empowering victims (women) of domestic violence abuse are the best approaches for deterring future incidents of violence however, a lot remains to be done in curbing the problem of domestic violence in Cameroon.

CHAPTER ONE 

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.2 Background to the study

Every year at least 4million women all over the world are victimized by their partners. Approximately 2million of these women suffer serious injuries while others stay traumatized for the greater parts of their lives (Tjaden and Theonnes, 2000).

Most clinical researchers believe that intimate partner abuse tends to be underreported and to date, the research on women’s experiences with domestic violence remains difficult to interpret because of the underreported nature of this problem (Miller Veltkamp and Kraus, 1997).

Apart from random violence to which everyone is susceptible, women face particular forms of violence in their marriage life, or within the family; that is domestic violence. There is a profound difference between the popular conception of what families are and the reality.

For many “home is where they face a regime of terror and violence at the hand of somebody close to them.” Women experience violence primarily in the hands of men they know and within the so-called “Safe Heaven” of home (Sweetman 1998). The feminist analysis also challenges the belief in the security and safety of the home as a myth.

For example, Dobash and Dobash (1998) argue that marriage is a social structure that gives the husband the right to the domestic and sexual services of the wife: this places women under the control and direction of their husbands and subject to the use of intimidation, coercion, and violence as strategies of maintaining male rights and privileges.

Women are often in great danger in the place where they should be safest; within their families. As seen above, for many, “home is where they face a regime of terror and violence at the hands of somebody close to them.” Somebody should be able to trust.

This makes them unable to make their own decisions, voice their own opinions or protect themselves for fear of further repercussions. Their rights are denied and their lives are stolen from them by ever-present threat of violence.

Global awareness regarding domestic violence has undergone a profound transformation in recent years. Once viewed as a private problem affecting only a few women, it is now considered a major social, health, and human right issue. The growing awareness is largely the result of the emergence of the women’s issue and the presence of a strong feminist movement, enabling collective organization against its occurrence.

The success of these efforts is evident in recent international documents such as the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of all forms Violence against Women (UNDEVW, 1993), the Declarations of Platforms for Action of the UN Conference of Human Rights (Vienna 1993), Population Development (Cairo 1994) and the (BPA) Beijing Platform of Action (WHO 2005).

Domestic violence occurs in all communities and transcends social, economic, religious, and cultural groups, and the Fako division is no exception. Around the world, at least one woman in every second has been beaten, coerced into sex otherwise abused in her lifetime.

Studies also suggest that from one fifth to more than half all women have been physically assaulted by a spouse or male intimate partner or even family members in the course of existence (Heise et al 1999). Despite the fact that domestic violence exists in all countries of the world, its severity varies from society to society and culture to culture.

Many international researchers indicate that while the root cause of such violence is inequality in gender relations there are several factors such as economic, cultural, and social norms that contribute to the severity and frequency of gender-based violence.

In spite of the growing recognition of domestic violence against women and progress made in developing countries like Cameroon, there is still a lack of basic information on the experiences of women with domestic violence and the prevalence of the problem, and understanding its root causes.

1.3 Statement of the problem

The world is changing and the status quo is changing, women’s rights are increasingly respected in Europe and North America. Unfortunately, the rights of the woman in Africa are still significantly challenged and laws are hardly respected where they exist to protect women.

Although laws protecting women’s rights exist in Cameroon, their implementation appears to face challenges and violence against women remains a serious problem. Cameroon is a signatory of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (UNDEVW), which calls for action to be taken against public and private gender-based violence; violence by an intimate partner.

Studies have shown that physical, sexual, economic and psychological assaults are widespread. Significant studies show that domestic violence affects women negatively beyond the immediate harm caused by violence. It limits women’s economic, social and political capacity because their options are constrained directly or indirectly.

Abusers often directly constrain the victim’s choices by using violence or threat of violence to coerce compliance with their decisions violence can indirectly affect women’s economic capacity in terms of lost wages when they miss work due to the violence.

 One such study in the United States for example found that domestic violence has a “substantial impact on health care service use and cost. Women with a high history of domestic violence had increased utilization across all types of health services, translating into 19% higher annual costs than women without a history of domestic violence (Rivara et al 2007).”

The combined effects of these losses have both individual and larger economic consequences (Agarwal and Panda 2007, Farmer and Tiefenthaler 1997). Decreasing domestic violence will increase the social, political and economic capacity of women, which will have long term micro-level benefits.

In the Fako division of Cameroon, domestic violence against women is however still a growing concern, limited efforts have been made to understand how domestic violence affects women in Cameroon. This study examines the impact of such violence on women which has implications for the wider society and economy. This is done by examining the experiences of women with domestic violence in Selected Towns in the Fako Division. 

1.4 Research Questions and objectives

Because of the aforementioned problem, the study seeks to answer the following research questions:

1.4.1 Research Questions

This research work answers the following questions:

• How do women in Fako Division experience domestic violence?
• How does the experience of domestic violence impact the lives of abused women?
• What are the barriers that inhibit the abused women from discussing and seeking outside help?
• What are the issues highlighted by abused women concerning their needs and the support of domestic violence service providers?

1.4.2 Research objectives

Every research work, be it in the social or pure sciences; seeks to meet several objectives, which stay at the center of it. It is useless to research without having an aim or goal which it seeks to achieve.

Apart from adding to the growing body of knowledge in Fako division on domestic violence against women, this study is useful as a part of the growing literature on this subject matter, as the estimation of the prevalence of domestic violence in the country and the region is hampered by the under-reporting of cases.

Evidence found from this study can be accessed to assist in the future improvement of the provision of services and laws, as well as to enhance an understanding of the highlighted issues.

Explicitly, this study seeks to explore from the viewpoint of abused women their experiences living within abusive relationships in the Fako division. The study also expects to propose many practical recommendations and constructive suggestions as part of the research contribution to the abused women specifically and the community as a whole. The objectives of the study are:

• To identify how women inFako division experience domestic violence.
• To examine the impact of domestic violence on abused women.
• To uncover the factors inhibiting the disclosure and reporting of domestic violence cases in the region.
• To understand the needs of domestic violence victims.

POLITICAL SCIENCE PROJECT TOPICS WITH MATERIALS

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division

gender and conflict: a phenomenological study of women experiences with domestic violence in selected towns in fako division